Editing Zaventem (section)

== National airport ==
[[Brussels Airport]] is the national airport of Belgium. It covers an area of 1245 hectares with about 225,000 flight movements and at least 19 million passengers annually, therefore making it the largest airport in Belgium. The airport is located in the [[Provinces of Belgium|province]] of [[Flemish Brabant]] on the municipal territory of Zaventem, [[Machelen]] and [[Steenokkerzeel]], and it is run by the ''Brussels Airport Company'', previously known by the abbreviation BIAC. The Belgian capital Brussels is at a distance of {{convert|12|km|0|abbr=on}} and it is easily accessible both by car and by public transport, including train, bus and taxi. You can take the train and hop off directly at the airport or park your car in a nearby parking facility. The airport is easily accesibel by train from various cities. Not only from Belgian cities, but also from international cities like [[Paris]] or [[Amsterdam]].

=== History ===
[[File:Boeing 707-329C, Sabena JP6848038.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Boeing 707]]-329C of [[Sabena]] at Zaventem National Airport in 1966]]
The home of the national airport originates in the municipality of [[Evere]]. During the [[First World War]], the [[German Empire|German]] occupier started building an 'airfield' there because of the proximity of [[Brussels]], the connection to the road to [[Haacht]] and the flat terrain. After the war, however, the airfield came into the hands of the [[Belgian Air Component|Belgian air force]].

At the end of the 1930s, the [[Ministry of Defence (Belgium)|Belgian Ministry of Defence]] purchased land in [[Melsbroek]] to build a new airfield. Shortly after, the [[Second World War]] broke loose during which the Germans set up an airport in Melsbroek during the occupation.

Only starting the 1950s, Zaventem was chosen by the [[Belgian government]] as the location for a national airport. Even Melsbroek was too small, especially taking the number of visitors of [[Brussels World's Fair]] of 1958 into account. The Melsbroek premises were now made available to the air force.

The buildings of the Zaventem airport were designed in 1956-1958 by [[Maxime Brunfaut]], [[Georges Bontinck]] and [[Jos Moutschen]]. It was initially estimated that it should have a maximum capacity of 6 million passengers per year. The 1950s were characterised by an uncurbed belief in technological progress. This was translated into the architecture by using such materials as aluminium, concrete, steel, and glass. The transit hall was intended as a striking feature with a space of a 100m long, 55m wide and 18m high, covered with a curved roof structure out of aluminium. Over the years, expansions and adjustments were made, leading to the loss of much of the original design. In 1994, Pier B was put into use so that 21 million passengers could be handled annually. Pier A was opened in 2002 to ensure a better flow and increased passenger comfort, processing another 25 million passengers annually.<ref>[http://www.zaventem.be/gzaventem/faces/public/template.jsp?f=81#Luchthaven Nationale Luchthaven Zaventem], Gemeente Zaventem – Cultuur en Toerisme, retrieved 2014-07-23.</ref>